November CLGC Meeting! "Predicting Soaring Weather" With Mike Decree Shakman Don t Miss It!! December 5 th,

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1 November CLGC Meeting! "Predicting Soaring Weather" With Mike Decree Shakman Don t Miss It!! December 5 th, 2005 IN THE HERRICK LIBRARY!! The Air Bubble The Newsletter of The Chicagoland Glider Council December, 2006 Board of Directors President - John DeRosa Vice-President - Scott Wolf Secretary (vacant) Treasurer - Pat Wager Past-President & Director Curt Lewis Newsletter Editor John DeRosa Synopsis: The talk will deal with in-flight weather decisions relevant to cross country and racing soaring. The principal topics will be reading clouds, reading and using streets and lake effect but without a discussion on how to get soaring weather forecasts. Biography: Mike has been soaring since 1975, have over 2000 hours in gliders, much of it in competition flying. Mike is also a flight instructor in gliders at Chicago Glider Club and fly in regional and national contests as well as the Northern Illinois Soaring Contest. CLGC Seminar Feb 24, 2006 There are now three confirmed speakers for this event. The nationally known Karl Striedieck will be speaking about competition. He also has agree to be our dinner speaker. Past SSA Executive Committee Chair Dean Carswell and author will be speaking on cross country soaring. John Good will be speaking on the International soaring scene. Please sign up soon by completing the registration form available at ================================================= The Air Bubble? Why is this copy of the ChicagoLand Glider Council s newsletter entitled The Air Bubble. There is a very good reason for that. The editor recently found that this is what the newsletter was named when it was first published in To explain, below are three photographs with descriptions taken from, with kind permission, Images of Aviation Soaring and Gliding The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Area written by Jeffery Sandman and Peter Sandman and published by Arcadia Publishing. February 24, 2007 Mark This Date!! 3 rd Annual CLGC Mid-America Soaring and Safety Seminar --- Page As early as October 1936, an informal soaring meet was held near Benton Harbor, Indiana [Sic], with members of four glider clubs participating. It led to the formation of the ChicagoLand Glider

2 Council, a not-for-profit organization intended to encourage motorless flying by sponsoring regional contests, setting soaring records, and aiding sailplane construction. Headed by German-born Chicagoan Joseph P. Steinhauser and Bob Blaine, the editor of the Air Bubble, the mimeographed publication of the council, the group was very active in meets at Frankfort [Michigan] in 1938 and In February 1939, they sponsored a Winter Get-Together and Soaring Forum at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago, with Frankfort s Stan Corcoran and Ted Bellak as the guest speakers. About 200 pilots attended. In November of that year, they hosted a meet at Benton Harbor. ChicagoLand Glider Council Youth Grant Each year the CLGC presents at least one youth grant to a lucky member of the CLGC. We all know that youth are the future of soaring and we must foster their efforts as often as we can. This scholarship is your CLGC dues in action in a direct and positive way. Note that this year the CLGC board wanted to open the door to more youth applicants and has chosen to remove the requirement from previous years for the applicant to have a private glider pilot rating or solo log book endorsement. The requirements to apply for the 2007 grant are; A sailplane takes off amid the dark cold skies on November 12, 1939, at Benton Harbor in a meet attended by Frankfort pilots and hosted by the ChicagoLand Glider Council. Be a member in good standing of the ChicagoLand Glider Council as of January 1st, 2007 Be between the ages of 14 and 21 (inclusive) as of January 1st, 2007 Reside within 150 miles of Chicago Did not receive the previous year s primary $500 grant Obtain a written recommendation from a Certified Flight Instructor Glider (CFIG) who is familiar with the applicant s qualifications and Write an original typed essay of words on "What Soaring Means to Me." Please download a free Grant application from the ChicagoLand Glider Council web site, Tom Knauff s Questions for Glider Pilots Newsletter - Jul 22, 2006 Reprinted with Permission It is a rainy Saturday morning, and as I wait for Tiger Woods to T off in the British Opens, I thought I'd pass on some thoughts. The Cinema sailplane, designed and flown by Stan Corcoran, was the centerpiece of the 1939 ChicagoLand Glider Council exhibit held in the Hotel Sherman in Chicago. Corcoran was from Hollywood, California, resulting in the movie land name of his glider. Corcoran restored his original Cinema and before his death in 1991, donated it to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., where it is on display. Moved? New ? Please let us know to keep our database up to date. Send and to JOHN@DEROSAWEB.COM or call Thanks!! ================================================= Doris and I visited a glider club where I flew with some of their flight instructors, and gave a few talks about flying gliders. Subject matter was based on the theme I have been speaking on for a couple of years now. Basically, the horrendous national glider accident statistics we have experienced is easy to understand and even predict. The fundamental problem is pilots do not have the basic knowledge that permits them to fly safely. This is demonstrable with simple tests. Those of you who are instructors may want to make up your own test and present it to club members. Make the test questions simple and unarguable. Questions every pilot should know. For instance, here are a few for you: 1. During a left turn on aero tow: A. You should see the left side of the tow plane B. You should see the right side of the tow plane. C. You should see both sides of the tow plane equally. --- Page 2 ---

3 2. An obstruction (trees) on the approach end of a farm field will reduce the useable length of the field by: A. 10 times the height of the tree. B. 20 times the height of the tree. C. 30 times the height of the tree. D. 40 times the height of the tree. 3. Flying in blue sky conditions (no clouds) the left wing rises. A. The thermal is on your left. B. The thermal is on your right C. The thermal is straight ahead. D. A lifting wing is not an indication which side the thermal is on. 4. The primary cause of glider fatalities is the stall/spin A True. B. False. 5. A glider can be stalled at any airspeed and any attitude. A. True B. False The average score using a more extensive test is 37 percent of similar questions every pilot should know. I first gave such a test at the SSA convention in Hartford. I have repeated similar test numerous times with similar results. And therein is the crux of the safety problem. Reading the soaring newsgroups and the pervasive ignorance demonstrated there is disheartening for those who have tried to educate. Several years ago, Doris and I attended an international meeting of the leading flight instructors from around the world. Twenty-two countries were represented. We were supposed to talk about flight training in the goal of promoting better standardization. With very few small exceptions, there was agreement rather than disagreement. Those considered being the experts agree on almost every aspect of flight training.. The problem is with the general flying public. The FAA has a flight-training manual each CFI is required to read and understand. In it, it is stated learning begins at the rote level and most learning comes through the sense of sight. Simply stated, we learn by memorizing facts, and these facts are best learned and remembered by seeing the information, which for the most part is simply reading books. When we teach students, it is only a slight exaggeration to state if the student is hearing information, there is a high probability it will be soon forgotten. The information is there for all to read and commit to memory. The problem is people are unwilling to make the minimal effort to gain the knowledge that will allow them to fly safely. Further, CFIs and flight examiners are unwilling to make the minimal effort to ensure pilots meet the standards implied by Federal Aviation Regulations, and the Practical Test standards. Until this happens, the safety record of flying gliders will continue to the worst of any other activity. As Alexander Pope ( ) said, "A little learning is a dangerous thing." The answers to these questions are shown at the bottom of this newsletter --- Page What Soaring Means to Me By Trace Lewis 2006 CLGC Grant Awardee Age: 15 The past season of 2005 was a year packed full of accomplishments. In 2005, I logged over 48 hours. (I now have over 97 hours total time) This is way more flying in one year that I have ever done and a good percentage of these flights were made possible by the CLGC (Chicago Land Glider Council) awarding me this scholarship last year. In the past year (since my 14th birthday solo flight on 11/28/04) I have accomplished many milestones that I feel are almost as rewarding as a pilot s first solo. The season started off strong and I soon had a B badge on my hat after a 45 minute flight in a club SGS In May, I made my first flight in a single seat sailplane, the Windy City Soaring Association s (WCSA) SGS 1-26E, and had an absolute blast due to the popular lightness of the controls. As that day progressed, I pinned a C badge to my hat after a 1.5 hour flight. In the same glider, about a month later, I attained a personal best duration of 3.4 hours. The next thrill of the season was when I first flew my dad s Blanik L- 33 Solo. I proceeded to use this ship for solo cross country flying. Many a weekend forecast looked promising for a Silver Distance / Duration flight. Much planning (and camping) was done, but unfortunately, the weather always evaded the forecast to the negative side. The Silver Badge became a 2006 goal. The most memorable and best flight of the season was a forty-four mile solo crosscountry flight in which I experienced for the first time being on my own and out of range of the home airport... a very rewarding flight. Another summer highlight of mine was attending a week-long Youth Soaring Camp conducted by the Caesar Creek Soaring Club in Waynesville, OH. There I soloed the club Blanik L-23 and did various other fun and precision tasks, such as bomb drops, paved airport operations, spot landings, and short field landings. They are going to have more focus on cross-country flying for some of the advanced students this year. I have continued my love for soaring from the ground by taking my hobby of flying R/C gliders to the next level. I competed in the 2005 AMA Nationals flying my Discus Launch Glider in Muncie, IN. I received a plaque for being highest-scoring Junior competitor. The season wound down with our relocation to Sylvania Soaring Adventures based in Beloit, WI. My dad and I will start our 2006 season here, only 20 minutes from home. Of course, every glider pilot needs their aviation fixes during the off season. Well, for me that comes in many different fashions. My primary source is the PC based Condor Soaring Simulator ( ). There are always several races taking place online all over the world. I try to fly at least one task (ranging from 100km to 300km usually) everyday for fun and proficiency. This simulator involves every aspect of thermal, ridge, and wave in competition soaring. The constant decision making required during competition can be executed online in a very realistic fashion with very realistic results. I have met and raced many other real-world pilots online, including past National champion Dave Stevenson (DS). I really recommend this to any glider pilot, whether you are a

4 student learning the tow, or a seasoned pro wanting to polish up your cross-country decision making skills during the winter. Flying power in the winter also helps get me through the off-season. I now have over 30 hours in power and plan to solo on my 16th birthday. I plan to continue my aviation education by attending an aeronautical college to get set for a job with the airlines or a corporate charter company. Soaring is a relatively expensive sport and flying airliners would be the best way (most fun) for me to make a living and to keep soaring as my sport of choice. Next year should be very exciting for me. I plan on attempting many Illinois and Wisconsin records in Junior and Sports class. Also, a must for me this year is to get my FAI Silver Badge. Just recently, the SSA created a new rule stating that you must have your Silver Badge completed in order to fly in a sanctioned contest. I plan to race in 2007 after I finally get my Private Glider Pilot license. Now more than ever, I walk the earth with my eyes turned skyward... for there I have been, and for there I always long to return (DaVinci). UPCOMING EVENTS Dec 5 Jan 9 Jan Feb 6-7 Feb 7-10 Feb 13 Feb 24 Mar 13 Apr 17 CLGC Mtg Predicting Soaring Weather (Mike Shakman) CLGC Mtg - Your Flight Instructor was Wrong!... Here's How Wings Really Work! (Herb Kilian) SSF CFIG clinic (see article this newsletter) SSF FIRC, Memphis, TN 2007 SSA Convention, Memphis, TN CLGC Mtg - No CLGC meeting, see February 24 th All Day CLGC Seminar Elgin Community College, Elgin, IL CLGC Mtg - Flight Computers & Recorders (DeRosa) CLGC Mtg - Movie and Popcorn Night!! That s what soaring still means to me... AVIATION CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS Windy City Soaring One of the last models built cherry condition, turtle deck option for open air flying. Includes a good trailer. Contact Scott Wolf or Jim Short. ASW20 S/N N20TT built in Approximately 900 hours. Wings refinished by David Nelson in 2004 and winglets added. Tinted Canopy. Dittel FSG 2T radio. Sage and CAI 302. $35, firm John Harrison (708) jharrison46@sbcglobal.net Door Prizes The ChicagoLand Glider Council gives away door prizes at every meeting but you have to be there to win! ================================================= "Although powered aircraft may express the language of flight, soaring is it s eloquence." - Richard Miller, Page 4 ---

5 SSF CFIG Clinic January 13-14, 2007 SSF FIRC February 6-7, 2007 Directions to the CLGC Meeting Hall at the Herrick Junior High School located in Downers Grove, IL. To all members of the Chicagoland Glider Council On January 13 & 14 the SSF will present a CFIG clinic here in Chicago. I highly recommend that any prospective CFIG candidate consider this course as an excellent way to hone their skills toward the CFIG. Also, any current CFIG's can brush up their skills with this clinic as well. It's time and money well spent. Our very own Pat Wager (pwager@uic.edu) is the local contact for this clinic. This is not a generic CFI clinic. It is glider specific, taught by glider CFI's with our sport in mind. All clinics are coordinated by a local contact. The local contact information will be updated as it becomes available. Unless otherwise noted all clinics will have the same time schedule. Class will start at 8:00 am both on Saturday and on Sunday. SSF FIRC's are open to any and all glider pilots who are interested in learning more about the art of Soaring. You do not need to be a flight instructor to attend an SSF FIRC. The Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) also provides US glider flight instructors the ability to renew their FAA flight instructor certificate in a class tailored to the need of glider pilots and students. One clinic is held in concurrent with the annual SSA soaring convention. This clinic is held the Tuesday and Wednesday preceding the convention at the convention site. Other clinics are held, upon request, around the country. Contact SSF trustee Bob Wander [soarbooks@aol.com] for more details Middaugh Ave Downers Grove, IL Detailed directions are available at; Tom Knauff s Answers 1.a 2.b 3. d 4.b 5.b Hope to see you all there. Thanks, Ron Ridenour Newsletter Contributions Anyone? Please let us know what achievements are taking place at your club or with yourself can include them in future newsletters. If you have any information or photos and advertisement that you would like to have included in future newsletters please send them to JOHN@DEROSAWEB.COM or call Also if you have any articles you would like to write that are soaring related, please send them as well. Any suggestions at all are very welcome! --- Page 5 ---

6 2007 ChicagoLand Glider Council Membership/Renewal Application & Change of Information Form Due: January 1, Mail to: Pat Wager, 2400 Oak Hill Drive, Lisle, IL Please remit $10 via check for annual dues payable to ChicagoLand Glider Council Your Name Address City State Zip (please print very clearly) Phone Type of Glider(s) you own, if any Primary Airport /Club where you fly Pilot ratings that you hold Please check the appropriate box(es) below New Member Membership Renewal Change of Street Address Change of Address Change of Telephone Change of Glider/Airport I am able to receive the CLGC Newsletter via Fold From: Chicagoland Glider Council 35W529 Parsons Rd West Dundee, IL To: Mailing Label Fold Page 6 ---